I thought to post this in European as I know that North American hunters do not normally use a moderator.

This isn't a serious problem but I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions. After being out and especially in rain I would put a squirt or two of light oil into the moderator to drive out any rain or condensation. Experience has shown that moderators tend to gather quite a lot of moisture and it would seem unwise to let it gather in there. There are several problems with doing this one being that the oil can run down into the barrel and this has the potential to be quite dangerous I would imagine. Another problem is that when the rifle is fired with the moderator attached a considerable amount of smoke is produced. I guess that the oil burns off in some way. The first time it happened I thought I'd gone blind for a few seconds. This smoke can persist for quite a few shots and while it isn't a big thing will certainly give your position away to anything that cares to look.

Has anyone found a solution to this, or does it even happen to anyone else? Perhaps someone could suggest some oil that wouldn't do this?

It does sound as if you might be putting too much oil and possibly the wrong type in.
I use the odd puff of WD40 simply as a rust proofer. It does tend to evaporate so I've not noticed any smoke in addition to the normal amount generated by the load.
I'm wondering, if you are using some machine oil, whether the pressures and temperatures might cause some dieseling effect and ignite any surplus?
The other possibility is that you've lost a cleaning wad in the baffles and that its smouldering?

I think there is no doubt that I'm putting a bit too much in Trapper Dave. The oil that I am using appears to be some sort of WD40 rip off. As you say it had occured to me that the oil was dieseling though I'm noticing no impact upon accuracy.

I have noticed significant condensation in the moderator and if it isn't removed from the rifle asap this can have an effect on the crown and threads. For this reason I am perhaps a little over generous in the oil department.

Caorach,

What I do is remove the mod and place it some where warm to dry out and then give it a squirt with a touch of light oil... I then leave it standing up right on a bit of paper towel so any excess oil can drain out...

Works for me,

Regards,

Pete

I do the same as Pete and if I'm heavy handed with the WD40 I do get a puff of smoke with the first shot, but nothing too dramatic.

I have a T4 and a T8 I take them off as soon as I have finished shooting. When I get home I put them on the Radiator the Next day I give them a squirt of Kroil and wipe the external surfaces then leave on the radiator until the next time I am going out.

Get a stainless one.

quote:

Originally posted by DJM:
I have a T4 and a T8 I take them off as soon as I have finished shooting. When I get home I put them on the Radiator the Next day I give them a squirt of Kroil and wipe the external surfaces then leave on the radiator until the next time I am going out.

My F.E.O. would certainly frown on my storing mods on radiators till I went out next, (He,s a bit retentive)!

It is still in the gun room dear chap!

You shouldn't really need to use the radiator.
If the relative humidity inside the house is low & it will be if the ventilation is good, then any moisture in your moderator will evaporate away by itself.
Oddly enough, warm air holds more moisture than cold air and corrosion can speed up in warm humid conditions.
UK gun cabinets don't have particularly good ventilation and if you don't think the air exchange is very good because you are getting corrosion, you can buy a slow release sheet which leaves a protective film on the surfaces.

quote:

Originally posted by DJM:
It is still in the gun room dear chap!

That's just boasting!

A

Is there, and I don't use one of these appendages, an alternate way to displace the water? By dunking the think and giving it a rinse in an ice cream tub (or similar plastic tub) of methylated spirits or paraffin?

This can then be poured back into its bottle of course. Or to swill it in a solution of something like a modern equivalent of "Aquoil"?

Place a unlubed condom over the moderator and do not worry about it. If you fire a round, or several replace the condon between shots , and clean when you get home. I have more faith in WD-40 than Kroil oil. Send me a PM and I will send you a 4oz bottle of CLP. Keep up the fire.

quote:

Originally posted by JIm Yackley:
Place a unlubed condom over the moderator and do not worry about it. If you fire a round, or several replace the condon between shots , and clean when you get home. I have more faith in WD-40 than Kroil oil. Send me a PM and I will send you a 4oz bottle of CLP. Keep up the fire.

A good idea Yakman, unfortunately on our little Island there may be one or two practical difficulties.

The first being that in the UK there is no public hunting land, all land belongs to somebody, usually a farmer in this bit of England, and somebody is always aware of how you, i.e. the shooter, conducts himself.

This has some cultural consequences like the bottle of scotch at christmas, making sure you are being at least seen to do something when there is a problem species, offering to help, etc, etc, so that the farmer does not give your shooting rights to some one else.

I fear a slow but steady accumulation of ragged, powder scorched prophylactics may have to be added to scorch marks, fires, dead rabbits, cigarette ends, empty plastic bags, etc in the generally agreed list of things not be left in the farmers field.

"Take them home with you!" Aaah! But therein lies a potentially much thornier problem, explaining said ragged, powder scorched prophylactics to the better half!

It will be exceptionally difficult if said better half has ever invoked the "you love shooting more than you love me" routine. In the circumstances the situation may just be untenable.

Good idea though, I’ve just had IanF on the phone to say “don’t even think about it, just use some electricians tape”

Spoil sport, i'd found this
Don't let them see you're coming

I salute you however.

All the best mate,

Amir

quote:

Originally posted by enfieldspares:
Is there, and I don't use one of these appendages, an alternate way to displace the water? By dunking the think and giving it a rinse in an ice cream tub (or similar plastic tub) of methylated spirits or paraffin?

This can then be poured back into its bottle of course. Or to swill it in a solution of something like a modern equivalent of "Aquoil"?

Propanone followed with a blast of air.

We used to use it in the Lab to dry glassware in a hurry.

REgards,

Amir

G-What lab?

I am glad you beat me to it, I would have sort of fallen for the pressure of things and suggested a small dad of chemically clean gas, I belive it´s called white gas/similar elswhere swirl in the moderator and then use the can of compressed air that I thought all computer people and hunters alike have handy to blown it all out.

The gas mixes with the water/condensation and evapourates rapidly afterwards.

The tape idea is a good one, beats the "rubber" idea.

Best regards Chris

Explaining away the scorch marks on a used and punctured condom does offer the opportunity for some exceptionally colourful and creative storytelling/excuses.
Certainly, your better half's female friends will eye you with renewed interest next time they drop round for coffee!

quote:

Originally posted by Husqvarna M98:
G-What lab?

I am glad you beat me to it, I would have sort of fallen for the pressure of things and suggested a small dad of chemically clean gas, I belive it´s called white gas/similar elswhere swirl in the moderator and then use the can of compressed air that I thought all computer people and hunters alike have handy to blown it all out.

The gas mixes with the water/condensation and evapourates rapidly afterwards.

The tape idea is a good one, beats the "rubber" idea.

Best regards Chris

The propanone is completely soluble with water and the resulting mixture has a volatility, as long as the relative proportions are in propanone's favour, similar to propanone. This means a blast of cold air is enough to convert all liquid into vapour and Bjorn's your uncle! So your original line of thought was good, although I am frankly amazed your solution is more dangerous than mine! Makes me feel all grown up

If you are feeling particularly reckless use the gas from the Bunsen burner tap on your desk instead of going all the way to the fume cupboard with the compressor in it.

A long time ago my first degree was in biochemistry.

I therefore considered myself a biochemist.

Not a spectacularly successful one, but enough to get the job done

With regard to protection in the field, Ian was very specific on the point

See you soon mate,

Amir

quote:

Originally posted by JIm Yackley:
Place a unlubed condom over the moderator and do not worry about it. If you fire a round, or several replace the condon between shots , and clean when you get home. I have more faith in WD-40 than Kroil oil. Send me a PM and I will send you a 4oz bottle of CLP. Keep up the fire.

Jim, how do I explain to the very Catholic mother of my three children why I am heading away for a "hunting weekend" - as I am tomorrow - with a pack of condoms in my luggage?

Any one know a decent divorce lawyer??